Tuesday, February 2, 2010

In 2003, a Maryland State Legislative Audit showed that the Interagency Committee on School Construction was still owed at least $3.2 million from "one" county for the lease and sale of former school properties. A plan for dealing with the debt was to have been submitted by 2001!

Who was that "one" county? Montgomery County!
The outstanding debt was incurred over time, as Montgomery County got rid of 17 "surplus" school parcels and properties.

The debt was never paid, and now the State is looking to settle this debt.

IAC had not pursued recovery of at least $3.2 million owed to the State relating to former school properties that were subsequently sold or leased. Furthermore, as of February 7, 2003, IAC had not submitted a plan required in November 2001 to address the timeframe for seeking recovery of the funds. Specifically, IAC conducted a review of former school properties in all jurisdictions and identified one county that owed the State approximately $3.2 million for a portion of the proceeds received by the county for the lease or sale of 17 former school properties in which the State had a financial interest (that is, the State contributed to the construction or renovation of the school). In addition, IAC management personnel advised us that the review identified former school properties in other jurisdictions that the State may have a financial interest in, but the amounts potentially owed to the State had not been determined and IAC was unable to locate the review results to substantiate the extent of the problem.

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Principles

Formed in 2002, the Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, Maryland seeks to achieve the goals of coherent, content-rich curriculum standards; high expectations combined with timely remediation and acceleration; a wider range of educational options for parents and children; greater transparency and accountability; and meaningful community input.

E-mail: parentscoalitionmc AT outlook.com

What the Gazette said about the Parents' Coalition

It has taken a watchdog outside group, the Parents’ Coalition of Montgomery County, to ferret out this waste. The coalition, driven by its sharp curiosity, frequently uses the Maryland Public Information Act to request public records and keep track of district decisions and spending.

We commend the coalition for its important work on this front. It is saving county residents money as inappropriate spending has been uncovered.

What The Washington Post said about the Parents' Coalition

The coalition might be the best-known parent advocacy group in the region. Its members represent several constituencies, including parents of special education and gifted education students and fiscal watchdogs. The group's defining victory came this school year when the school system scaled back the fees charged to families for course materials.

Coalition leaders have drawn attention to the misuse of funds collected from students for activities, the broadcast of a commercial radio service on school buses and, with their "Weast Watch" blog, the travel habits of Weast and his lieutenants.

MD Open Meetings Act Compliance Board staff says

Jerry Weast on the Parents' Coalition

"Along the way, you’ve had a challenging relationship with the Parents’ Coalition, the network of citizen activists who use the political process and other means to hold MCPS accountable.

The thing people accuse me of is listening, but not hearing. I hear, but I do not always agree. I am sorry that the world is faster than it was 10 years ago. I did not do that. [But] if we do not keep up, then our kids will be behind. We have to stop whining and get real."